NICE Campaign: Delivering Happiness

I had mentioned on Twitter a little while ago that I was reading the book, Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose, written by Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos. I'm a slow reader, so I'm only half way through, but it's a truly inspiring read.

In addition to the book, there is a Delivering Happiness Team that is traveling the country on a bus with a mission "to inspire and be inspired." I am SO BUMMED that they aren't stopping in Philly because of course I'd be there in an instant! If you are in a city along the tour, I'd highly recommend attending an event.

As if I wasn't already completely jealous (not a NICE trait, I know) of their incredible tour, check out this hilarious video that the team made! Oh how I wish I could be on this bus! I mean, I'm already an award-winning rapper. ;)

Happy International Day of Peace!

From the UN website:
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session, which was held annually on the third Tuesday of September. The first Peace Day was observed in September 1982. In 2001, the General Assembly by unanimous vote adopted resolution 55/282, which established 21 September as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire. The UN invites all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.

September 21st was chosen as the International Day of Peace thanks to the hard work of Jeremy Gilley, the founder of Peace One Day.



You can watch the webcast of the Peace One Day Celebration, hosted by Jude Law and Sharon Stone.

What can you do to spread peace? Like Jeremy said, "Don't wait for government to make a difference. Make the difference yourself."

NICE Assignment: Kind Words for Women

I had the NICEST experience on Friday night, and I just had to share with you all! I was at the Mann Center for Performing Arts to see one of my all-time favorite bands, Pavement, on their reunion tour. So really, I was already in a pretty fabulous mood. The show rocked.

As the band left the stage and the crowd cheered for an encore, this adorable young woman who was sitting in the row in front of me turned around, grabbed my wrist, and leaned toward me to say something. She had to shout because the audience was still very loud. She said something to the effect of, "I saw you sit down earlier before the show, and I just wanted to tell you that I think you're really beautiful!" A look of shock and joy must have spread over my face, as if I won the lottery. I started to thank her profusely. She said, "I feel like I always have to preface myself by saying 'I'm not a weirdo or a lesbian or anything.' I just don't think women tell other women things like that enough. And I think you're doing everything right!"

I nearly started to cry. Her words meant so much. Inside, I'm still that insecure, dorky 6th grader seen here with a horrible perm, overbite, and unibrow. The girl that never got asked to the dance. The girl that was teased, even in college. So receiving a compliment like that made me feel so incredibly special.

And what she said is absolutely right. Women don't typically say things like that to other women. But you know what? I think it all the time! There's this woman who I used to see at Starbucks every morning, and I thought she was gorgeous. Plus, she always had the most amazing outfits and she looked so sophisticated. But did I ever tell her this? No. Why? I don't know, maybe I didn't want her to think I was a weirdo stalker lady! But I should have. Because maybe she's that same 6th grader on the inside.

Today's Assignment: Kind Words for Women

We need to break the stereotype that women are catty witches (with a capital B) that just want to tear other women down. Those Lifetime movies are false! :) So how about we stop someone this week and tell her that we think she's beautiful! I'm sure she will be thrilled to hear it. Let's make it a little bit more commonplace, so maybe one day prefaces won't be necessary.

NICE Testimonial: An Open Home

Happy Friday! How has your week been? Mine has been delightful! Notably, I went to a TOMS event last night. You guys know how I love TOMS. Adorable shoes, PLUS a socially conscious mission? Perfect! So anyway, last night in Philly, there was an event where you could buy a pair of TOMS and have them decorated by a graffiti artist. So cool! Here are mine:


Aren't they great?! I actually also bought the gold glittery ones. So I got two wonderful pairs of shoes and two pairs will be donated to a child in need. WIN!

I also have a testimonial for you guys! This one came from my HOW Design pal, Kirsten J. in Australia. She writes about the nicest thing someone has done for her.

BACKGROUND

I spent some time with my aunt and uncle in Canada when I was 17 - they encouraged me to take off on my own for a week and go see Quebec City. I came from a small town of 100,000 in Australia and was pretty green with the ways of the world, so this was an adventure for me.

It was a bit of an odd time as I left Edmonton on Christmas Eve and was to spend Christmas Day and the following week in QC. It was my first Christmas away from my family, but Australians don't tend to have the big Christmas traditional affairs perhaps due to the weather (it's our summer).

The plane takes off from Edmonton, and lands in Toronto, snowed in on Christmas Eve, with all planes grounded until further notice.

I call my aunt, as I'm not sure what to do - would it be safe to sleep in the airport? I didn't have enough funds to spring for hotel and was unsure about travelling around in such conditions (had never experienced snow before this trip).

THE NICE BIT...

My aunt calls a friend from her University days - someone she hasn't seen in 20+ years, and had pretty much only exchanged Christmas cards in that time, but lived in Toronto.

This friend comes and picks me up at the airport, takes me home to her house on Christmas Eve and opens her family, home and heart to me at such a time that is so important to North Americans. I spend the night and wake up on Christmas Day and celebrate with her and her family. Later that day she takes the time to drop me back to the airport and ensures I am safe and well-looked after.

Such a self-less act at such a time, to open your home to a stranger with no questions, no concerns.

Pretty incredible, don't you think!? To know that you can count on someone, even after 20+ years, is wonderful. Thank goodness the world has people like that woman!

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE Stuff: Nora McNamara Jewelry

Back in January, I wrote about how my mantra for 2010 was going to be "Create and inspire." These are two verbs that are very important in my life, and I strive to do both daily. Well, or at least monthly. So you can imagine my gasps when I came across Nora McNamara's etsy shop and spotted these two rings! I had to have them!



In addition to getting inside my brain, Nora has created a collection of rings that feature positive words, including one of my other NICE faves, "Gratitude." She writes that her "Silver Reminder Rings are a perfect gift to remind ourselves or the ones we love to hold strong to what we have and to seek out the powers we desire." Love it! And I appreciate the fact that she makes tiny ones for my stick-like fingers.



Visit Nora McNamara's etsy shop and have a look for yourself! Maybe you'll find the reminder you're looking for.

NICE Assignment: Be Nice to Yourself

Hi guys! How have you been? Lately my life has been non-stop. I've been running from one event to the next. Of course, they are all wonderful things, like going to NYC for the weekend or seeing some of my favorite bands in concert, or taking a sock animal workshop (this Saturday, yay!) but it's still a little exhausting.

I tend to spoil myself quite often. I buy myself new shoes/bags/clothes/fattening treats, etc. all the time. I'm sure psychologically it's compensation for something, and my husband thinks I'm on my way to becoming a hoarder. I know I need to live more simply. Heck, I even bought myself books on living simply! I think instead of rewarding myself with goods, I need to reward myself with peace.

I make my life hectic, and yeah, I like it that way, but I also crave relaxation. It's been a long time since I just sat somewhere and read a book. I've had a gift certificate for a free massage in my wallet for over 6 months. I've been talking about getting a manicure for just as long.

Today's Assignment: Be Nice to Yourself
If you read this site, chances are you love kindness. And people who love kindness tend to put others before themselves. This week, do something for YOU. Gosh, if I feel this busy, I can only imagine what you parents out there feel like! It must be madness!

Give yourself some time this week to find peace. Maybe it means sitting down to a breakfast and reading the paper, or enjoying a book and a glass of wine at night, or using that six month old massage gift certificate. :) This fast-paced society is aiming to burn us out. Take some time this week to slow down and regain a bit of mental clarity. You deserve it!

NICE Notes: On the Road!

A super nice and very talented friend of mine, Janet Little Jeffers, is currently touring the country in a teardrop trailer, photographing and blogging along the way! Does that sound like fun, or what??

Janet sent me an email a little while ago letting me know that she brought a stack of NICE Notes with her, so she can drop little pieces of happiness along her journey. I am so thrilled!


This one was taken in the ladies room at a campground. She wrote, "I'm actually pretty tickled that the note has been up on the mirror for over 36 hrs, through the cleaning crews and all, and it's still there. :-)" I love it! Can't wait to see what else she does!

Do you have a NICE Note photo that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE Testimonial: Rescued at the DMV

Hi guys! I am SUPER swamped this week (and last week actually), so my posts are a little sparse. But I'm thinkin' aboutcha! I'll try to get some quick and easy posts up here, like reader-submitted photos and testimonials. If you have any, send 'em my way! I'd love to share them with everyone. :)

This sweet testimonial comes from Allison B. Her boyfriend experienced something incredibly rare.....a nice moment at the DMV!

This comes from my boyfriend. I was complaining the other night about how expensive it's going to be to renew my car registration, and he said a couple years ago, when he went into the DMV to renew his registration, they charged him extra for a parking ticket...$50, which he didn't have (we're both in that "broke college student" phase). He was in the middle of telling the DMV worker that he couldn't pay it and would have to just leave without his registration, when an older man at the next window leaned over and wrote him a $50 check! The man just said "I've been there" when my boyfriend tried to thank him.

When he told me this, I said, "I hope that guy's at the DMV when I go in!"

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!

NICE Testimonial: A Busload of Kindness

This testimonial from Noemi H. is incredible! In one bus ride she experienced a bunch of kind acts from her fellow transit riders. It goes to show you that there are many good people in this world. They just don't get the attention that the bad eggs do.

Just this past week, as I was taking the bus to one of the paper supply stores I frequent, I saw kind gestures made by travelers I haven't seen in a long time.

This one guy who was sitting up at the front of the bus was focused on something, perhaps an iPod or another gadget. He looked so focused that the world could have disappeared around him and he wouldn't have noticed, at least that was my perception. A bunch of passengers got on at one stop. One passenger in particular had her son, who was about 1 yr old in a front carrier. As soon as she got on, the guy got out of his seat and offered it to her and immediately moved to the back.

The lady didn't even sit down for 5 seconds, when a person in a wheelchair got on. She in turn moved to the back. I looked around to see if she was going to get a seat, as I would offer her mine, but another guy in the back jumped out of his seat and gave it to her.

The bus went on it's way, dropping off and picking up passengers. When we got to one stop, a lady who wished to get off at the back of the bus, didn't understand that she needed to just push the door open. I guess she figured it was automatic. So this other passenger helped her out, by holding it for her. Just when the bus was about to leave, the man noticed that the lady had left her gloves and tried to get off, but it was too late. So, he did one of the kindest things I've ever seen. He got off at the next stop, which was about 2 1/2 blocks away from the last one and ran back to try and give the lady her gloves back.

I was happily surprised by all of what I had seen, because as a frequent transit traveler, I hardly ever see such kind gestures like this happening anymore. So, I'd like to give kudos to all those passengers. I've been inspired and I hope you all are too :)

Isn't that such a great story?! Kudos galore! You know, I went to the food court to get lunch the other day, and as I was waiting to pay, I saw a woman leave without her bottled beverage. I said to the people in front of me and the cashier, "Wait, isn't that her drink?" They just looked at me and didn't say a word. So I abandoned my food, grabbed the bottle and chased her down. Boy was she fast. But I would hope someone would do the same for me!

Do you have a NICE:Testimonial that you'd like to share? If so, click here to send me an email!